Get Ready To Pay More For Beer, Pop, Gum, Candy In WA State

The State Senate will vote Monday to boost a host of taxes on beer, water, soda pop and candy to help close a $2.8 billion budget shortfall.

The bill passed Saturday in the State House by a 52-to-44 vote.

Shopper Suzy Scott is always looking for a bargain for her family, she's not happy she might have to pay more taxes for her families favorite things.

"If they spent the money appropriately in the first place we might not be here. If they learned to budget like a regular citizen has too budget we wouldn't have the problems," said Scott.

The measure passed by the House makes up the bulk of a nearly $800 million tax package Democrats argue is needed to prevent cuts in state services from going too deep.

The breakdown on the tax package looks like this. It will cost an extra 28 center per six-pack of beer. That would cost you an extra $81 a year.

Plus, you'll spend an extra 2 cents per can of soda. If your family buys 2 cases of soda month it'll cost almost $12 more a year.

The tax increases would also affect sweets. You'll have to start paying the state's 6.5 percent sales tax for candy and gum.

Getting people to spend more in a tight economy is a tough sell for taxpayers like Ed Solares.

"You have to change your habits of buying, when there are taxes in the economy," said Solares.

But, some taxpayers like Erica Corwin are willing to shell out more if it helps.

"I certainly don't mind the extra tax if it's going to go towards programs like of course education," said Corwin.

Democratic leaders had struggled to agree on a revenue package to help balance the state budget's projected $2.8 billion deficit through June 2011.

A conference committee of House and Senate members officially agreed on the main piece of the tax proposal Saturday afternoon.

That bill is worth about $668 million, including temporary tax increases on service businesses, pop bottlers, beer, and more.

The 30-day special session is scheduled to end on Tuesday.